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Chris Raaber
| birth_place = Leoben, Steiermark | death_date = | death_place = | resides = | billed = | trainer = Ian Rotten Dory Funk Jr. Michael Kovac | debut = May 9, 1998 | retired = }} Chris Raaber (September 5, 1981) is an Austrian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bambikiller (occasionally spelled Bambi Killer), He runs his own promotion European Wrestling Association where he is also the current EWA World Heavyweight Champion. Raaber is a six time world champion having won the Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship once, the wXw World Heavyweight Championship once and the EWA World Heavyweight Championship four times. Professional wrestling career Europe In 1997, Chris Raaber met with Michael Kovac who was wrestling in Europe by then Raaber accepted Kovac's offer to teach him to wrestle. At the age of 16, Raaber made his debut in Independent Wrestling World wrestling in Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany against Gary Mountain as he lost by disqualification. Not even into a year of his career, Raaber won the WFU Rookie Trophy by defeating German Kid in the finals of the tournament. During his early years, Raaber would wrestle for several German promotions including German Wrestling Association, German Wrestling Federation and NWA Germany. After a short stint in North America, Raaber would return to Germany, making his debut for Westside Xtreme Wrestling in May 2001. After winning a number one contenders tournament, Raaber would face Mad Cow for the vacant wXw World Heavyweight Championship which he would lose. However, on February 3, 2002, he would win another number one contenders tournament and would defeated Thomas Blade for the wXw World Heavyweight Championship. He would later vacate the title in July 2002. During his time as champion, he won the ACW International Championship from Aykut in May and in June he made his Ireland debut where he won the EWA World Heavyweight Championship. Raaber would lose his ACW International Championship back to Aykut in September only to win it back in December, he would lose the title to Mr. Natural Wonder in March 2003. As the EWA World Heavyweight Champion, Raaber would wrestle throughout western Europe, even making his debut in France. On December 14, 2004, Raaber lost the championship to Cannonball Grizzly but would regain it on April 3, 2005. On April 2, 2006, Raaber won the ICW Italian Championship in a fatal four way but would lose it a month later to Kaio. In December, he would lose to Joe E. Legend in the semi final of the EPW Iron Man Tournament and the next day would defeat him by DQ in a match for the EPW Heavyweight Championship. In August 2007, Raaber would make his debut in Finland and would take on Finland's top star, Starbuck and would retain his World Championship. In September, Raaber would win the Königsschlacht Battle Royal at the European Wrestling Association. On April 5, 2008, Raaber made it to the final of the King Of Kutenholz Tournament before losing to Karsten Kretschmer. In the spring of 2009, Raaber had to vacate the EWA World Heavyweight Championship when he signed a development contract with World Wrestling Entertainment. Raaber returned to Europe in early 2010 and made a sudden impact the EWA Iron Man Cup 2010 on April 24. In November he would tour with American Wrestling Rampage. On April 9, 2011, Raaber won his fourth EWA World Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Tiny Iron for the vacant title. In October 2012, Raaber won the Catch Wrestling World Grand Prix by last defeating Nelson Frazier, Jr.. Americas As he was wrestling throughout Europe and he met with Ian Rotten during one of their shows in Germany then started training the American style of wrestling, Raaber was sent on a learning excursion to the United States where he enter the Funking Conservatory a professional wrestling school in Ocala, Florida run by Dory Funk Jr. and became the FC International Champion. While in the US he appeared on World Championship Wrestling as part of R and B Security with James Storm, Cassidy O'Reilly and Chris Harris, although he didn't have any matches his memorable moment was being chokeslammed to a table by Scott Steiner on Nitro. In 2007, Raaber participated in the Campeonato Internacional De Lucha Libre X-Trema CWS 2007 for Colombian Wrestling Superstars and made it to the final before losing a battle royal to Lloyd Anoaʻi. In the spring of 2009 it was revealed that Raaber had signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and was sent to Florida Championship Wrestling. He made his debut on May 28, losing to Eric Escobar. Raaber went on to change his in ring name to Christoph Herzog and made several FCW TV appearances before being released in late 2009. Japan Throughout Raaber's career, he has toured Japan on several occasions under the name Bambikiller for the most part. Raaber debuted for Pro Wrestling Zero1 in the summer of 2005 when he participated in the Fire Festival and would gain four points, not enough for advancement. In 2006, Raaber became a representative member for an interpromotional company called Global Professional Wrestling Alliance which is run by the founder Mitsuharu Misawa and joined along with other wrestling organizations. On October 27, 2006, he lost the EWA World Heavyweight Championship to Takao Ōmori but would regain it on November 11. In October 2008, he participated in the Continent Confrontation Tournament. On July 11, 2010, Raaber defeated Kohei Sato to become the Zero1 World Heavyweight Champion and would lose the title on September 9, 2010 to Daisuke Sekimoto. In 2012, Raaber participated in that years Real World Tag League, paired with Franz Dynamite and only managed to win one match. In November 2013, Bambi Killer came together with D'Lo Brown and Kenso to form the DK (Dark Kingdom) stable. Bambikiller faced New Japan Pro Wrestling star Hiroshi Tanahashi at GL1 Gloucester Leisure Centre Oct 4th in England for Superstars Of Wrestling. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' **''Bambi Death Shot'' (Kneeling back to belly piledriver) **''Killer Bottom'' (Cradle kneeling back to belly piledriver) *'Nicknames' **''Bambikiller'' (when competing under his real name) Personal life Raab is married and has a daughter and a son, since November 2008 he run his own gym in his home town of Leoben that is attached to his wrestling school called Catch Wrestling dojo. His biggest influence growing up was Otto Wanz Championships and accomplishments *'Athletik Club Wrestling' **ACW International Championship (2 times) *'European Wrestling Association' **EWA World Heavyweight Championship (4 times, current) **Catch Wrestling World Grand Prix (2012) **Iron Man Cup (2010) *'Funking Conservatory' **FC International Championship (1 time) *'Independent Wrestling World' **WFU Rookie Championship Trophy *'Italian Championship Wrestling' **ICW Italian Championship (1 time) *'Pro Wrestling Zero1' **Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) *'Qatar Pro Wrestling' **QPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) *'westside Xtreme wrestling' **wXw World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) **wXw #1-Contender Tournament (2001, 2002) External links * Profile * Profile Category:Austrian wrestlers Category:1981 births Category:1998 debuts Category:1 Pro Wrestling alumni Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:All Star Wrestling alumni Category:American Wrestling Rampage alumni Category:Athletik Club Wrestling alumni Category:Bullhead City Wrestling alumni Category:Colombian Wrestling Superstars alumni Category:Crazy Wrestling Club alumni Category:Danish Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Deutsche Wrestling Allianz alumni Category:Dubai Wrestling Entertainment alumni Category:European Professional Wrestling alumni Category:European Wrestling Association current roster Category:European Wrestling Federation alumni Category:European Wrestling Promotion alumni Category:Eventos de Wrestling Europeo alumni Category:Federation Francaise de Catch Professionnel alumni Category:Fiend Wrestling Germany alumni Category:Fight Club Finland alumni Category:Florida Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Funkin' Conservatory alumni Category:German Stampede Wrestling alumni Category:German Wrestling Federation alumni Category:German Wrestling Promotion alumni Category:Independent Wrestling World alumni Category:International Catch Wrestling Alliance alumni Category:Irish Whip Wrestling alumni Category:Italian Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Italian Wrestling Superstar alumni Category:Mad Wrestling Association alumni Category:New Alliance of Wrestling Athletes alumni Category:Norwegian Wrestling Federation alumni Category:NWA Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Power Of Wrestling alumni Category:Premier Wrestling League alumni Category:Pro Wrestling ZERO1 alumni Category:Professional Wrestling Alliance alumni Category:Qatar Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Rings of Europe alumni Category:Riotgas Wrestling Alliance alumni Category:Saarland Wrestling Organisation alumni Category:TopCatch alumni Category:Total Blast Wrestling alumni Category:Union Of European Wrestling Alliances alumni Category:Westside Xtreme Wrestling current roster Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni Category:World Xtreme Wrestling alumni Category:Wrestling Alliance Revolution alumni Category:Xtreme Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Living people Category:Male wrestlers Category:Bologna Wrestling Team alumni